Search warrants in gas station murder show how police made quick arrest

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WAUKESHA -- 56-year-old Nayyer Rana, a clerk at the Petro Mart in Waukesha was found shot to death in the early morning hours of Tuesday, May 29th. There were no surveillance cameras in the gas station at the time of the murder, and no witnesses. Investigators said it would be a tough case to crack, but ended up making a quick arrest in Waukesha's first homicide since 2010.

Investigators knew several packs of cigarettes had been taken from the Petro Mart, along with smoking pipes, cigars and cash. Plus, Rana was missing his keys, UW lanyard and a cell phone.

Search warrants in the case, obtained by FOX6 News reveal how investigators made their quick arrest less than 24 hours after the murder.

Roughly 21 hours after Waukesha police were called to the Petro Mart, an Elm Grove police officer was searching for a burglary suspect near Bluemound and Sunnyslope roads.

At a nearby bus stop, the officer found a red duffel bag and black backpack. Inside the black bag were cigarettes, a smoking pipe, cigars, cash, a UW lanyard and keys.

Among the items in the red duffel bag were a credit card with the name "Billy Ingram."

25 minutes later, near the same intersection, Brookfield police found 20-year-old Billy Ingram, and arrested him on a separate arrest warrant.

"These officers were able to piece together what this person had on him and his story, so to speak and were able to tie together that this related possibly to the homicide that we had less than a day earlier,"

That same day, Waukesha police searched Ingram's apartment, and found further evidence possibly connecting him to the gas station murder.

FOX6 News spoke with Ingram's cousin, who also lives there, but he did not want to comment.

The search warrants list first degree intentional homicide, armed robbery and felon in possession of a firearm as possible charges.

Gas station owner Shahbaz Qureshi feared it'd be impossible to find the person responsible for the tragedy. He also feared it was his fault. Qureshi says the store didn't have any cameras on Tuesday because of a remodeling project.

"I feel so bad. I was praying they can get this guy," Qureshi said.

News of a break in the case provided relief for Petro Mart customers like Elizabeth Schubert.

"It makes me feel a whole lot safer. I work at a bar down the street and I actually refused to walk to my car alone last night, just knowing I was a younger girl walking alone with cash," Schubert said.

Schubert says she used to come to the Petro Mart every night for gas and soda because it was open. "When they didn't know who it was, at first I thought, I'm never coming back here because I didn't know it was safe, but now I'm coming back," Schubert said.

The Rana family expressed their appreciation to law enforcement after the arrest, releasing a statement saying, in part: "The family is relieved that a suspect is now in custody. The family has complete confidence in the Waukesha County District Attorney's Office and believes that the individual who committed this senseless crime will receive the justice he deserves, through this process."

The Rana family had offered a $3,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. Police say the arrest was made before a single tip came in.

The Petro Mart was robbed two weeks before Rana's death, but police say it's unclear at this time whether Rana's murder was linked to the previous robbery.